Tips on how to make Valentine’s Day fulfill your expectations.

By Samara Fabrick, LCSW
So you’ve made it through the holidays. Your extended family has gone home; expectations, disappointments, fun and frolic are behind you. Just when you thought you could relax, BAM, here comes Valentine’s Day. For many of us Valentine’s Day is a chance to sit down with our kids to make cards for their classmates, think of fun ways to surprise our honey or have an excuse to eat that box of chocolates. However, for many Valentine’s Day is another opportunity to have a million expectations that are so often dashed by our clueless spouses and our inability to express our wants. Here are a few suggestions to make sure that your Valentine’s Day is a happy one filled with whatever your heart desires. (more…)

How to plan a summer they’ll talk about all year long.
By Jill Levin
Next summer may seem far away, but before you realize it, it will be June and your kids will be out of school. NOW is the time to start thinking about choosing a summer camp for your child. Summer camps help children develop new interests, choose a new direction and make lifelong friends. How do parents decide which is the right program for their child? Here are a few guidelines to help you make a wise choice. (more…)

Identifying the Problem and Getting Help
By Jennifer Gordon, M.A. Educational Therapist
Learning disabilities are problems that affect the brain’s ability to receive process, analyze, or store information. The term Learning Disabilities sounds scary, but actually includes a very broad set of issues that are quite common and diverse, and, most importantly very addressable. The good news is that there is a vast array of resources available to help with learning disabilities. The earlier an issue is identified the better it can be addressed. Detecting and identifying problems can be challenging and navigating all the assessment options can be dizzying. (more…)

By Samara Fabrick, LCSW
The holidays are fast approaching and we all have different reactions to this time of year. Media portrays this season as a happy one filled with smiling relatives giving expensive gifts and wearing beautiful clothes. Some of you can relate to these ebullient folk as something that resembles your own holiday experiences. However, many dread this “cheery” season and know that the last thing that puts a smile on their face is dealing with their family and their spouse’s family.
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By Dr. Judy Bin-Nun
It is always best that we see “feeding” as a “Line of Development” as the scholar Anna Freud discussed. Anna Freud’s line went from “feeding to rational eating” as a specific developmental progression.
How to learn rational, intuitive eating unless children are able to explore foods, help themselves to food from a “family platter” or “family bowl?” The more a young child can select on his/her own meal portions, the more responsibility is taken in making independent food choices. Try not to pile food on your child’s plate, see what happens when the child begins to take responsibility for food at mealtime – make this a two-week experiment.
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By Nathalie Kunin
It’s September, which means that it’s time for you and your children to shake off the lazy days of summer and return to that trusted routine of the school year.

Decluttering the Desk
For the last three months, your child’s workspace has been the docking station for everything other than work, so it’s important to take some time before classes resume to “redefine the desk.” Organize all school materials (pencils, erasers, a dictionary, accordion files, etc.) into a clutter-free work area with plenty of elbowroom.

As you help tidy up, remind your child that music and snacks do not belong in the workspace. Explain why these rules are enforced – snacks are distracting, and music is counterproductive. Promote workspace independence. After all, this is their domain. Suggest hanging a bulletin board and a calendar beside the desk for posting exam reminders, keeping track of extracurricular activities and organizing long term assignments.

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By Samara Fabrick, LCSW
Do you find yourself fighting with your husband about who changed the last poopy diaper? Are you
battling over who’s going to the farmers market to get the organic produce for your homemade baby
food? Are you feeling like you are carrying the lion’s share of the responsibilities in your family? You are
not alone.
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By Dr. Judith Bin-Nun Ph.D., MFT
How many times have parents heard the “4 W’s” coming from their preschoolers? The 4 W’s: the Wail, the Whine, the Wall and the Wanna– all hallmarks of a child’s internal needs and reactions when those needs are denied.
The expression, ‘frustration tolerance’, a desired attainment for people of all ages, is the ability to wait, to think through, to set aside anxieties, desires or needs and to COPE with not having immediate gratification.
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By Emma Jenner
Are you tired of your children fighting? Have you become the referee instead of the parent? Are you asking yourself, how do I get my children to stop fighting and putting each other down all the time?
I’m sure you’ve tried every punishment and threat known to mankind but it’s not making any difference. You encourage them to be nice, but it just goes in one ear and out the other. Here’s are a few tips to help keep your sanity:
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By Dannielle Crouch
I was in my teens when I got the fake tanning bug. I would purchase the unlimited monthly tanning packages that allowed for many tanning bed sessions to achieve that deep, dark tan. I began frequenting tanning salons in high school and continued well into my 20’s.

I was never informed of any health risks and certainly didn’t think I would be a victim of skin cancer. I have olive skin and dark hair and always tanned very easily in the sun. I didn’t fit into the high risk category. If you read about who is at risk it usually describes someone who has had many sunburns and very light complexion. That just wasn’t me.
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